Scottish history is full of men and women who stepped into the unknown by leaving their homeland behind and emigrating to far flung places. Many of them might not be familiar names, yet they made their mark abroad, but never forgot where they had come from. They also demonstrated a sense of entrepreneurship, community involvement, and a strong belief in their Presbyterian faith.
One such man was Isaac Wallace of Earlston (1841-1921), who emigrated to Victoria, Australia, where he named his new home "Earlston", set up a butter factory, and involved himself in community affairs, both in Australia, but also on a return visit to Earlston towards the end of his life.
His Early Life
Isaac was the eldest of eight children, born to master joiner, John Wallace and Martha, nee Brown. His sister was Isabella Wallace. who later became known as "Earlston's friend and benefactor", with two memorial plaques around the village.
In the 1851 census, ten year old Isaac was the eldest child, with siblings John, Mary, Robert and Hannah. Ten years on saw the family at No. 7 New Street (Thorn Street); John was by this time a master joiner employing three apprentices and with four more children listed on the census entry - Janet, Isabella, George and Francis - but no Isaac.
An Australian Journey
For Isaac, a 19 year old, farm servant who could read and write, had set sail in 1859 for Launceston, Tasmania, aboard the ship "The Broomielaw".
From Tasmania, Isaac moved to the Victorian goldfields, where in 1862 he married Mary Hogarth who had emigrated with her parents from Lauder - a further link with the Borders.
Isaac and Mary moved to Glenlyon, near Daylesford, Isaac
was a good horseman and with a number of wagons, each carrying about a
ton, he carted supplies to the store keepers on the gold fields. In the next thirteen years seven children were born - John 1862, Agnes 1864, Martha 1866, Robert 1868, Mary 1870, Frank 1872 and young Isaac 1875
Isaac Wallace's Family c.1875
Mary, Martha, John, Robert, his wife Mary with baby Isaac,
Earlston born Isaac, wth toddler Frank and Agnes
Isaac's wife Mary died in 1876 at the young age of 36, having borne seven children in thirteen years.
A year later Isaac married again - his wife, Nicholes Brown nee Rogerson, a widow with four sons. A daughter Elizabeth was born to the marriage. Together with the twelve children, they moved to Isaac's land allocation of 320 acres, naming it Earlston. It was situated in Violet Town, in the shire of Strathbogie, 108 miles north of Melbourne. Maintaining the floral theme, Violet Town's streets were named Cowslip,Tulip, Orchard, Rose, Lily and Hyacinth.
It was the discovery of gold in the north east of Victoria which led to large numbers of itinerant prospectors passing through the area and the village grew. Violet Town grew with the railway arriving in 1873. and had three hotels, a Wesleyan school. a bakery, tradesmen and land developers.
Isaac's New Business Venture
Isaac, noticing the swing to dairy-farming, purchased Brown's unused flour mill and dwelling in Tulip Street in February 1891, and converted the building into a butter factory - the first such creamery in the area. His son Robert, Uncle Jim, and Harry Grogan built three houses for his workmen, whilst eldest son, John managed Isaac's other properties at Earlston.
Creameries were
largely built by farmers in a locality where they could take their milk in a
horse and cart and meet up with each other while the cream was separated from
their milk and they could then take the skim milk home to feed calves and pigs
while the cream was made into butter - the beginning of dairy co-operatives in
Australia.
Isaac's venture flourished at first and he was greeted as a benefactor of both the town and countryside; He was inundated by demands for Violet Butter, of which he initially produced a ton a week at top prices, and expanded the machinery to meet the demand.
But success was short lived. The railway vans carrying butter to market needed ice for the journey, so the citizens of nearby Euroa built a butter factory and ice works. Euroa became the dominant factory in the area and it became harder for Isaac to maintain milk supply. Circumstances were against him with a number of wet years, followed by severe drought (1896-1903), and an outbreak of diphtheria halting milk supplies. Times were hard for the farmers, with many selling their dairy herds and moving to sheep farming and wool production, with its lower labour costs.
Isaac's creamery amalgamated with the Australian Producers and Traders Company, but was wound up in 1906.
Mill House, Violet Town c.2015
A Community-Minded Man
Isaac involved himself in his community , becoming a Justice of the Peace and was appointed a Magistrate in 1886,
sitting on the bench at Violet Town.
An active member of the
Presbyterian Church, services at Earlston were held in his home from
1887. Isaac
was on the Board of Management of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church,
built in 1893 and his son Frank's wedding was the first to be held in the
new church.
Isaac was president of the Mechanics Institute in the 1890’s and a member of the Progress Association when the Shire of Violet Town was formed in 1895 – he stood for council but wasn’t elected - his known independence of mind may have cost him a seat. He was also a patron and a vice-president of the new football club in 1896.
Family Life
Isaac's second wife, Nicholes died on the 19th January 1907, aged 73 years, and was buried in the Violet Town cemetery. She had made each of her daughters-in-law a quilt. One such quilt was passed down the family and donated to the National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame in Alice Springs.
In 1910 Isaac married Bertha Thompson (1884-1969) and they had a daughter, Ruth.
A Return to his Homeland
Shortly after the death of his second wife, Isaac left Melbourne aboard "The Runlic" in late March 1907 on a trip to the old country.
A news snippet was traced in "The Southern Reporter" of 20th August 1908 which reported under the Earlston District News:
"Golf: The final tie for the Silver Challenge Cup, presented by Mr Isaac Wallace, Australia, an old Earlstonian, was p/ayed on Wednesday afternoon."
"The Berwickshire News" of 4th May 1909 reported on a Parish Council meeting at which the provision of seats in the village was discussed.
"It was agreed that nine of these seats should be provided at a cost of 9 shillings and 3 pence each. The Rev. W. S. Crockett, Minister of Tweedsmuir [also an Earlstonian], and Mr Isaac Wallace, Australia agreed to defray the expenses of one each and these to be placed in the West Green."
A group photograph taken on Isaac's return to Earlston
He is thought to be the tall figure on the left of the back row,
with his brothers, John, Robert & George and sister Isabella.
Isaac's Continued Interest in Politics
Australia did not use conscription during the First World War, but with the large number of casualties and difficulties getting volunteers to enlist, a plebiscite was called to gauge the public’s thoughts on compulsory overseas military service. A furious debate ensued during 1916 and the plebiscite was narrowly defeated in October.
A report of a meeting at Violet Town appeared in the Euroa Advertiser on Friday the 30th March 1917, when Mr. W. Lane, J.P, in an appropriate speech, moved the following resolution:
“That this meeting of the residents of Violet Town and district, realising the present situation of the war as being serious, and that the number of recruits is far below what is required urges that every eligible man should volunteer, and thus prove to the brave lads who are now risking their lives for the welfare of the Empire that we will do our utmost to supply the necessary reinforcements until peace is proclaimed.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Isaac Wallace, J.P., who was accorded hearty rounds of applause when he vigorously declared:That although he was now an old man, if they would take him he was prepared to go. As it was, he was well represented at the war, having five grandsons and six nephews in the ranks, three of whom had paid the price.
The motion was carried enthusiastically, complimentary votes to speakers, singers, and chairman bringing a highly successful meeting to a close”.
Isaac died on the 22nd February 1921, aged 80, and was buried with his second wife, Nicholes in Violet Town cemetery. His estate, real and personal, was valued at 7,291 pounds, 13 shillings and 5 pence (£211, 880 in British money) and included Mill House on one acre in Violet Town and approx. 947 acres at Earlston.
Isaac and Nicholes Gravestone in Violet Town Cemetery
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With grateful thanks to Garth Grogan, descendant of Isaac Wallace, through his daughter Mary, for this detailed account of Isaac's life.
Sources:
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In case you missed earlier posts: Isaac's Earlston family links are told below:
Other Earlston emigrants, who made their mark in their new , feature on the Auld Earlston blog:
- John Redpath (1796-1869), stone mason, who emigrated to Monreal, Canada in 1816. He opened the first sugar factory in Canada and gained a reputation as an industrialist and philanthropist, who donated to Earlston the clock above the Corn Exchange. Two blog posts HERE and HERE.
- Robert Carter (1807-1889) was a self-taught man, who after a hard childhood, became a teacher and emigrated to New York in 1831. There he established a bookshop and publishing business, in a life based on Christian principle. He made regular visits back to Earlston with his family. Two blog posts HERE and HERE.
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